Bung-seal.



J. M. HOTHERSALL.

BUNG SEAL.

APPLICATION FIL'ED APR.5, 1912.

LAG- 1,506, Patented July 21, 1914.

igj 10 w 5 M 5A0. rfiiweh TH'E NORRIS PETERS CQ. PHOro-L/THa. WASHINGTON, D. Cv

UNlTED sra rns PATENT enr c JOHN M. HO'IIIEBSALL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. L, A CORPORATION OF JERSEY.

BUNG-SEAL.

menses.

Specification of Letters lcatent.

Patented July 21, 1914.

Application filed April 5, 1912. Serial No. 688,595.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN M. Hornnnsnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing in borough of Brooklyn, city of New York, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bung-Seals, of which the following is a specification.

lhis invention relates to improvements in bung seals.

1n shipping liquids in barrels, such, for instance, as beer, much trouble has been heretofore experienced, due to tampering with the contents of the barrel in transit, and the object of my invention is to provide means whereby any tampering with the c0ntents of the barrel, due to the removing of the bung, can be immediately detected, and to provide a seal to be placed over the bung which is provided with scored or weakened lines along which the seal will tear if the same is attempted to be removed, and thus give visual evidence of the barrel having been tampered with.

My invention furthermore consists in the improvements in the parts and devices and in the combinations of parts and devices herein shown, described or claimed.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of a barrel showing my improved seal applied thereto. Fig. 2is a detail, sectional view, upon an enlarged scale, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a diametrical section of the seal. Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof, and Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view of the same.

In the drawing, 10 denotes a barrel or other suitable receptacle, in which is adapted to be shipped beer or other liquid, the same being provided with the customary bung 11. 12 denotes the bung seal which is adapted to be placed over the bung 11 and secured on the barrel, the same comprising a disk 13 provided with a plurality of sets of prongs, each set comprising a pair of spaced prongs 14 and an intermediate prong 15, each of the prongs 14 and 15 being disposed substantially at right angles to the main portion of the disk and located in intersecting planes. Extending between each set of prongs on the underside of the seal is a scored or weakened line 16, the latter terminating at the intersection of the intermediate prong 15 with its adjacent prong 14. The disk is perferably provided with strengthening ribs 17, which, as shown in the drawing, form a square within which any suitable lettering or label may be applied, and each of the prongs is also preferably provided with a strengthening rib 18.

The seal is adapted to be applied by a hammer or other suitable means, and, as will be obvious, if a chisel, screw driver or any other tool is inserted beneath the disk between any pair of prongs 14, the disk will tear or break along the scored or weakened lines between the prongs 14, and it will also be apparent that each of the intermediate prongs 15 prevents the insertion of a tool between the other prongs 14 by which the seal might possibly be removed without tearing.

I claim 1. A bung seal consisting of a substantially flat piece of sheet metal having a plurality of prongs extending from one side thereof, the prongs being adapted to be driven into a barrel to secure the seal in place, there being spaces between some of the prongs to permit a tool to be inserted under the seal between the prongs when the seal is in place and said sheet metal piece being weakened between the prongs, whereby the seal will tear when a tool is inserted thereunder and leave visual evidence thereof, substantially as specified.

2. A bung seal comprised of a disk of sheet metal, and having a plurality of sets of prongs adapted to be driven into a barrel to secure the seal thereto and located around the periphery thereof, each of said sets comprising three members adjacent each other and disposed in intersecting planes substantially at right angles to the main portion of the disk, said disk having weakened lines extending between each set of two prongs of the set when the seal is in prongs, said lines terminating at the points place substantially as specified.

Of intersection Of the planes in Which the M. prongs are disposed, the central prong of each set being located intermediate the ends Witnesses:

of the scored lines and each adapted to pre- C. W. GRAHAM, Vent the insertion of a tool between the other W. D. FOSTER.

Goplel 01' this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. '0. 

